Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel has been awarded a knighthood for services to music in the New Year's Honours 2017.

'I'm immensely proud to accept this, and I think of my family, I think of my sons, I think of my fans, I think of the great British public', said the singer of the honour.

Terfel made his Royal Opera debut in 1992 as Masetto in Don Giovanni and has since sung a host of major operatic roles at Covent Garden including Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen and Scarpia in Tosca. His most recent role for the Company was the title role in Boris Godunov during Spring 2016. In 2017 he returns to the Royal Opera House to sing the role of Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Director Richard Eyre has been inducted into the list of Companions of Honour for services to theatre. Eyre's Royal Opera production of Verdi's La traviata has become a Covent Garden favourite since its premiere in 1994.

In other artistic fields, Kinks frontman Ray Davies receives a knighthood, as does actor and former Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe Mark Rylance. Fellow performer Patricia Routledge is made a dame.

From the world of opera, Music Theatre Wales co-founders Michael McCarthy and Michael Rafferty have been awarded MBEs for services to music in Wales. Music Theatre Wales was the first Associate Company of The Royal Opera.

'I am very excited and thrilled about this news,' said Carlos, 'I never expected to receive an honour such as this, and am both delighted and very proud to be given such recognition for my work in the dance world. It was a huge surprise, and I feel privileged to be included.'

Opera director John Copley has also been awarded the CBE. He is perhaps best known for his much-loved Royal Opera production of La bohème. The production marks its 40th year in 2014.

Conductor Sir Simon Rattle was awarded the Order of Merit. This follows his CBE in 1987 and knighthood in 1994. Sir Simon returns to Covent Garden in 2014 to conduct Robert Carsen's award-winning production of Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmélites.

Choreographer and former dancer Gillian Lynne was made a Dame for services to dance and musical theatre. Following her performances with Sadler's Wells Ballet as a Leading Soloist between 1944 and 1951, Dame Gillian was instrumental in the development of jazz dance in Britain, leading to her iconic work on the musicals Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.

Master of the Queen's Music, composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, has been made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. His 1980 opera The Lighthouse was performed at Covent Garden in the Linbury Studio Theatre in 2012.

Others honoured include philanthropist Lady Patricia Hobson (OBE for services to ballet and philanthropy), Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders Maria Assis Carreiro (MBE for services to dance) and Liv Lorent, founder of balletLorent (MBE for services to dance).

On receiving the news, Antonio Pappano said, "I am astonished but hugely honoured by this news. I am so grateful to the Royal Opera House for providing me with a platform to make music and drama with a world-class orchestra and chorus communicating our passion for this amazing art-form."

Sir John Tomlinson, currently appearing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Covent Garden, said, "I have known and worked with Tony for 25 years now, and he commands my admiration and respect as a fine musician, an impressive pianist, a conductor who understands the singing voice like no other, and an intensely dedicated artistic leader of the Royal Opera House. All of us here in the House are absolutely delighted for him."

Tony Hall, Chief Executive, Royal Opera House said, “On behalf of everyone at the Royal Opera House, I’m absolutely thrilled and delighted that Tony Pappano has been knighted for his services to music. He has boundless energy and we all love working with him. His passion for opera communicates itself to people - those who know a lot about music and those who are new to it. We're very lucky to have him at Covent Garden. Tony has made a huge contribution to the musical life of this country, opera in particular, and works with many of the world’s leading artists. It’s wonderful recognition of his talent, passion and extraordinary commitment that he should be honoured in this way.

"It's also a great way for us all to celebrate the New Year, which sees some really momentous works of opera on our stage at Covent Garden over the coming months with Tony at the helm".